Am I getting Ripped Off?

[dmdfool]

Thank once again for everyone's support and expertise. Hearing everyone speak and talk about it makes me feel a heck of a lot more comfortable, but I am struggling with a couple of other things that I still don't quite understand. I already booked an appointment to see my local jeweler to look at the diamond+ring(he had it placed/setted for free) one more time, so I can scope it out once more and get a better look at the certificate it was offering with that diamond. I'm 100% sure though it is not GIA or AGS...I do believe it may be HRD.

I live in Canada and from what I can see, most of these online dealers are based in America. Anyone have any experience doing the whole 1 day, Fed-Ex express shipping along with getting it insured to Canada? What type of duty are you paying on a diamond?

I might consider flying as an option to reduce my uncertainty of purchasing the diamond online.

Secondly, the reason I was considering going with my local jeweler was because he was offering a beautiful looking ring for cheap($1500), not including wedding band. He said he has a guy out in toronto that builds custom rings that are practically look a like rings of any design you want for a very reasonable cost. Every local retail jeweler, including Appelts diamonds, was charging $2500+ for a nice ring and even $4000+ for name branded rings. I understand these forums are specialized for diamonds, but who and where would be a great place to buy a ring from? Do all the names listed in this forum including whiteflash, jamesallan, brian gavin etc would be good picks for the RING? or is there a separate dealer that offers rings where you get quality and a good price? I am fine with a non-name brand ring as long as I can get it to look as close as possible to a name branded ring like tiffany lucida, with certain specifics needed for the ring like having point diamonds run along the side similar to the photo I posted in my original post.

Thank you once again everyone, I am reading everyone's post and it's totally making me feel so much less stressed about the whole situation and more sold on the process of doing it online.

 

[Allisonfaye]

Years ago when I first joined PS, I was skeptical about purchasing from anyone online. Now, I almost wouldn't do it any other way. I often go into jewelry stores, especially when I travel. It never fails to amaze me what kind of garbage people will try to pass off on an uneducated consumer. I see you just joined here yesterday. I don't know your time frame, but if you have the time, spend a little time here. Learn everything you can. Go to a few stores/dealers in person. I think that will convince you that you can get the best price from one of the recommended dealers mentioned above.

 

[kenny]

Years ago when I first joined PS, I was skeptical about purchasing from anyone online. Now, I almost wouldn't do it any other way.

+1

The first diamonds I bought were some 0.25 ct earrings.
I brought them to a local jeweler to have them tested to ensure they were real diamonds and matched the reports.
Then when I bought my first colored diamond I drove to GIA in Carlsbad CA to have them verify it was the real deal.

Now, about 30 diamonds later I think people are nuts to pay more buying junk locally just because they have a building.

But I totally understand the caution of the noobs.

 

[ChristineRose]

HRD is a reputable grading report. It is the most common used in Europe. We just aren't familiar with it.

Just saying, don't discount a stone just because it is HRD.

HRD doesn't do a princess cut grade (at least not as far I as can tell). There's a Canadian outfit called HKD but I don't think they offer princess grades either. So I just shrugged and decided that it was probably a lab no one has ever heard of with a similar name.

 

[CharmyPoo]

There is no duty for diamonds coming from the US to Canada. All you pay is the HST or GST/PST so it is really no different than buying from Canada. If you live close by the border, you can also go to the US to pick it up from a FedEx/UPS office if you wish.

This forum is just as concerned about settings as we are with diamonds (some of us anyways). If you go to Show me the Bling forum, you can see plenty of finished products. All the online vendors recommended also sell settings. You are probably looking at $1000 - $2000 for a similar setting and I dare say the quality from the recommended vendor may be better than the local person.